Cheater panel

ABSTRACT

An insert panel is provided for a cast veneer wall panel system. That wall panel system has a standard panel including a series of design elements wherein each of the design elements has a length L 1 . The insert panel includes a precast body having at least one filler design element having an initial length L 2  and a cut length L 3  wherein the body, including the at least one filler design element cut to the length L 3 , fills an irregular space between a first end design element on a first standard panel and an end point such as a second end design element on a second standard panel so as to enhance the aesthetics of the wall being constructed using the cast veneer wall panel system. In addition a method of providing a cast veneer wall panel system for producing a wall having an enhanced aesthetic appearance is provided. Further, the invention includes a method of enhancing the aesthetics of a wall being constructed.

TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the construction field and more particularly to an insert panel for a cast veneer wall panel system and a method of providing a cast veneer wall panel system for producing a wall having an enhanced aesthetic appearance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prefabricated or cast veneer wall panels have been developed as a quick and efficient way to provide a masonry appearance for a building while simplifying construction and lowering construction cost. The design elements of prefabricated wall panels typically simulate brick, stone, tile, and other masonry building components or materials commonly used in the construction of buildings. Examples of prefabricated wall panels are disclosed in, U.S. Pat. No. 1,592,591 to Amele, U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,055 to Hardt, U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,490 to Taylor, U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,719 to Salazar and U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,910 to Taylor et al.

Often, the length of a prefabricated wall panel and the distance to a particular end point, such as the corner of a building do not match. When this occurs, an irregular gap G (see FIGS. 1A-1D) is provided between the design elements 12′, 40 of the panels 10′ and 42. Typically, this gap G is filled with grout so that a wide band of grout is provided between the design elements 12′, 40. The irregular gap G filled with grout interrupts the repeating pattern of the design elements 12, 12′, 40 and adversely affects the aesthetic appearance of the finished wall.

The present invention relates to an insert panel for a cast veneer wall panel system and a method of providing a cast veneer wall panel system that eliminates the irregular gaps and produces a wall having an enhanced aesthetic appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, an insert panel is provided for a cast veneer wall panel system having a standard panel including a series of design elements wherein each design element has a length L₁. The insert panel comprises a precast body including at least one filler design element having an initial length L₂ and a cut length L₃ wherein said body including said at least one filler design element cut to said length L₃ fills an irregular space between a first end design element on a first standard panel and any selected end point so as to enhance the aesthetics of a wall being constructed using the cast veneer wall panel system. The end point may, for example, be a second end design element on a second standard panel.

More specifically describing the invention, the filler design element having a length L₂ is typically greater than or equal to the standard panel design elements having a length L₁. In one particularly useful embodiment, the length L₂ is 25% greater than the length L₁. Thus, for example, where the length L₁ is 8 inches, the length L₂ is 10 inches. In this embodiment, at least one filler design element may be cut to a length L₃ of between about 6 and about 10 inches. One or more of the insert panels may then be used to fill and eliminate any irregular gap between standard panels so as to provide a more aesthetically pleasing wall.

More specifically describing the invention, the insert panel further includes a fastening flange that projects from the filler design element. In one possible embodiment, a backer panel is connected to the precast body. In another possible embodiment, a mounting element having a first end is embedded in the precast body and a second end projects from the precast body.

In accordance with an additional aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for producing a wall having an enhanced aesthetic appearance. The method includes the steps of providing a standard panel including a series of design elements wherein each of the design elements has a length L₁. In addition, the method includes the step of providing an insert panel including at least one filler design element having an initial length L₂ and a cut length L₃. The insert panel includes at least one filler design element cut to the length L₃ to fill an irregular gap between a first end design element on a first standard panel and any selected end point so as to enhance the aesthetics of the wall. As noted above the length L₂ may be longer than the length L₁. In one possible embodiment, the length L₂ is 25% longer than the length L₁.

The method may further include the step of providing a guide for directing the cutting of the filler design element to a particular length L₃ depending on a measured width of the irregular gap.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a method of enhancing the aesthetics of a wall being constructed using a cast veneer wall panel system having a standard panel including a series of design elements comprises the steps of: (1) measuring an irregular gap between a first end design elements of said series of design elements on a first standard panel and any selected end point, and (2) filling the irregular gap with an insert panel including a filler design element having a custom length to fill the irregular gap. This method may further include the cutting of the insert panel in order to provide the filler design element in the custom length. Still further, the method may include the replacing of a design element on the standard panel with the filler design element on the insert panel.

In the following description there is shown and described several different embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of some of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the present invention and together with the description serve to explain certain principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIGS. 1A-1D are side elevational views illustrating the irregular gap left between a straight panel and a corner panel at an outside corner of a building;

FIGS. 2A-2C are front elevational views of three possible different embodiments of the insert panel of the present invention; and

FIGS. 3A-3D are front elevational views illustrating how the insert panel is used to fill and eliminate the irregular gaps in the walls illustrated in corresponding FIGS. 1A-1D.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Reference is now made to FIG. 2A illustrating a first embodiment of an insert panel 20 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. As will be illustrated below with reference to FIGS. 1A-1D and 3A-3D, the insert panel 20 is provided for a cast veneer wall panel system of the type used as a wall cladding for a building. Further applications include, but are not limited to the construction of a fireplace surround or an outdoor living component, such as a decorative wall or grill surround.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the cast veneer wall panel system includes a standard panel 10. For purposes of this document, the terminology “standard panel” is to be given the broadest possible interpretation and covers any type of panel in the system that is not an insert panel. Thus, a standard panel includes, but is not limited to straight wall panels, corner panels, window surround panels, door surround panels, and the like. The standard panel 10 may be generally described as comprising a precast body including at least one decorative design element 12. As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1C the design element 12 comprises two rows of overlapping brick with five bricks in each row. In FIG. 1B there are six brick design elements 12 in each of the two rows. In FIG. 1D there are four brick design elements 12 in each of the two rows. It should be appreciated that substantially any other masonry material known in the art may be simulated including bricks of different sizes, stones of the same or different sizes or shapes, tiles of different sizes and shapes, and the like. The standard panel also includes a grout field 14 for receiving and holding grout that outlines the design elements 12 to provide the desired masonry appearance.

The standard panel 10 is made from a cast material, such as concrete, reinforced concrete, gypsum, reinforced cementitious material, and mixtures thereof. Typically, the cast material reinforcement comprises fiber selected from a group of materials consisting of glass fibers, mineral fibers, natural fibers, polymer fibers, and mixtures thereof. When glass fibers are used they are typically of the E-glass or AR-glass type, which exhibits some alkali resistance.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1D the wall panel 10 also includes a mounting flange 16. Typically, the mounting flange 16 is made from a backer panel or mounting element made from a material selected from a group consisting of metal, plastic, composite, steel, corrosion-resistant steel, aluminum, stainless steel, zinc, copper, and combinations thereof. The corrosion-resistant steel may take any number of forms including, but not limited to galvanized, galvanneal, GAVALUME brand, tin coating, chromium coating, nickel coating, phosphorous coating, magnesium coating, copper coating, weathering steels (i.e., alloys of steel with small additions of copper, aluminum, nickel and/or phosphorus), polymer coatings, and paint.

Polymer materials useful for making of the mounting element 16 can include various thermoplastic and thermoset resins including, but not limited to polyolefins, polyesters, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, epoxy, vinyl ester, acrylic, polystyrene, ABS, melamine, and mixtures thereof. Composite materials used to make the mounting element 16 include a reinforcing material and a matrix binder. Appropriate reinforcing materials useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to glass fibers, natural fibers, mineral fibers, basalt fibers, carbon fibers, kenaf fibers, jutte fibers, hemp fibers, E-glass fibers, C-glass fibers, R-glass fibers, S-glass fibers, ECR-glass fibers, AR-glass fibers, and mixtures thereof. It should be appreciated, however, that substantially any type of glass fiber may be used for reinforcement fibers. Glass fibers appropriate for use in the present invention may be loose chopped strand or glass mat and include those available under the trademarks HYPERTEX and ADVANTEX. Matrix binders useful for this purpose include, but are not limited to polyolefins, polyesters, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, epoxy, vinyl ester, and mixtures thereof.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2A illustrating one possible embodiment of the insert panel 20 of the present invention. The insert panel 20 includes a precast body made from a cast material, such as concrete, reinforced concrete, gypsum, reinforced cementitious material and mixtures thereof. The insert panel 20 may include reinforcement fibers just as described above with respect to the standard panel 10. As illustrated, the insert panel 20 includes a filler design element 22 and a complimentary grout field 24. Further, the insert panel 20 includes a mounting flange 26. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2A, the mounting flange 26 is cast from the same material as the remainder of the insert panel 20.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2B, the insert panel 20 includes a backing panel 28 that forms the mounting flange 26. Such a structure is disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/933,216 owned by the assignee of the present invention. The backing panel 28 may be constructed from a material selected from a group consisting of metal, plastic, composite, steel, corrosion-resistant steel, aluminum, stainless steel, zinc, copper, and combinations thereof.

In FIG. 2C, the mounting flange 26 is formed from a mounting element 30 having a first end 32 embedded in the precast material forming the body of the panel and a second end projecting 34 from the design element 22. Such a structure is dislosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/026,876 owned by the assignee of the present invention. In any of the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2C, the mounting flange 26 includes one or more apertures 36 for receiving a fastener, such as a nail or screw used to secure the insert panel 20 in position on the sheathing or frame work of the building under construction.

The design elements 12 of the standard panel 10 have a length L₁. The filler design element 22 of the insert panel 20 has a length L₂. Typically, the length L₂ is greater than or equal to the length L₁. In one particularly useful embodiment, the length L₂ is 25% greater than the length L₁. For example, where the design elements 12 of the standard panel have a length L₁ of 8 inches, the filler design elements 22 of the insert panels 20 have a length L₂ of 10 inches. In such a cast veneer wall panel system, the filler design elements 22 of the insert panel 20 are typically cut to a length L₃ of between about 6 and about 10 inches in order to fill an irregular space or gap G between adjacent and aligned end design elements of the series of design elements 12 of two standard panels 10.

A method of enhancing the aesthetics of a wall being constructed using the cast veneer wall panel system, including the standard panel 10 and insert panel 20, will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1A-1D and 3A-3D. The method may be generally described as comprising the steps of (a) measuring an irregular gap between a first end design element of the series of design elements provided on a first standard panel and a second end design element provided on a second standard panel, and (b) filling the irregular gap G with an insert panel including a filler design element having a custom length L₃ to fill the irregular gap. More specifically, the method further includes cutting the insert panel 20 in order to provide the filler design element 22 of custom length L₃.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the straight standard panel 10 includes two rows, each row incorporating five aligned design elements 12. For purposes of the illustrations presented in FIGS. 1A-1D and 3A-3D, each design element 12 on the standard panel 10 has a width of eight inches. In contrast, each filler design element 22 on each insert panel 20 has a width of 10 inches.

As illustrated in FIG. 1A, an irregular gap G of one inch in width is formed between the adjacent and aligned end design elements 12′ of the straight end standard panel 10 and the design elements 40 of the standard corner panel 42. As illustrated in FIG. 3A, an irregular gap G of between 0 to about 2 inches may be filled and eliminated by replacing the end design elements 12′ with an insert panel 20 having filler design elements 22 cut to a length L₃ necessary to fill the gap G. Thus, if the gap is 1 inch in width, the filler design elements 22 are cut to a length of 9 inches, that is, 1 inch more than the length of the standard design elements 12. As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the longer filler design element 22 blends in nicely with the standard length design elements 12 of the standard panel 10 to create a more aesthetically pleasing and continuous facade.

As illustrated in FIG. 1B, coursing completed with the standard panels 10 leaves an irregular gap G of 3 inches in width between the end design elements 12′ on the standard straight panel 10 and the design elements 40 of the standard corner panel 42.

As illustrated in FIG. 3B, this irregular gap G may be filled by replacing the last two design elements 12′ and 12″ closest to the precast molded corner panel 42 with two insert panels 20 wherein the filler design elements 22 of the insert panels 20 have been cut to a length L₃ of 9.5 inches each. Thus, each of the two filler design elements 22 and the two insert panels 20 is 1.5 inches longer than the design elements 12 of the standard panel 10. Accordingly, the 3 inch wide irregular gap G is filled and the slightly longer filler design elements 22 are hardly noticeable in the facade. Accordingly, a more continuous and aesthetically pleasing wall is constructed.

As illustrated in FIG. 1C, the coursing of the standard panels 10 leaves a 5 inch wide irregular gap G between the end design elements 12′ of the standard straight panel 10 and the design elements 40 of the standard corner panels 42. In order to fill the irregular gap G, the end design elements 12′ are replaced with two insert panels 20 wherein the filler design elements 22 have been cut to a length of 6.5 inches each. This serves to fill the irregular gap G and once again provide a continuous, aesthetically pleasing facade all the way to the corner of the building.

Finally, FIG. 1D illustrates the situation wherein an irregular gap G of 7 inches in width is provided between the end design elements 12′ of the standard straight panel 10 and the design elements 40 of the standard corner panel 42. In this situation, a single insert panel 20 with filler design elements 22 cut to a length of 7 inches is inserted between the standard panel 10 and the corner panel 42 in order to fill the irregular gap G. As illustrated in FIG. 3D, this arrangement functions to provide a continuous and aesthetically pleasing facade all the way to the corner of the building.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, while the detailed description presented above describes the filling of an irregular gap between end design elements of adjacent and aligned standard panels, the insert panel 20 and filler design element 22 may be used to fill an irregular gap between the end design element 12′ of a standard panel 10 and substantially any selected end point, not just an end design element or another panel. Thus, for example, the insert panel 20 and filler design element 22 may be used to fill an irregular gap between the end design element 12′ of one panel and any other structure such as a cornerstone.

The embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. The drawings and preferred embodiments do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims in their fair and broad interpretation in any way. 

1. An insert panel for a cast veneer wall panel system having a standard panel including a series of design elements wherein each said design element has a length L₁, said insert panel, comprising: a precast body including at least one filler design element having an initial length L₂ and a cut length L₃ wherein said body including said at least one filler design element cut to said length L₃ fills an irregular gap between a first end design element on a first standard panel and an end point so as to enhance the aesthetics of a wall being constructed using said cast veneer wall panel system.
 2. The insert panel of claim 1, wherein said end point is a second end design element on a second standard panel.
 3. The insert panel of claim 1, wherein L₂ is greater than or equal to L₁.
 4. The insert panel of claim 1, wherein L₂ is 25% greater than the length of L₁.
 5. The insert panel of claim 1, wherein L₁ equals about 8 inches, L₂ equals about 10 inches and L₃ equals about 6 to about 10 inches.
 6. The insert panel of claim 1, further including a fastening flange projecting from said filler design element.
 7. The insert panel of claim 1, further including a backer panel connected to said precast body.
 8. The insert panel of claim 1, further including a mounting element having a first end embedded in said precast body and a second end projecting from said precast body.
 9. A method providing a cast veneer wall panel system for producing a wall having an enhanced aesthetic appearance, comprising: providing a standard panel including a series of design elements wherein each said design element has a length L₁; providing an insert panel including at least one filler design element having an initial length L₂ and a cut length L₃ wherein said insert panel including said at least one filler design element cut to a length L₃ fills an irregular gap between a first end design element on a first standard panel and an end point so as to enhance aesthetics of said wall.
 10. The method of claim 9, further providing said length L₂ is longer than said length L₁.
 11. The method of claim 9, further providing said length L₂ is 25% longer than said length L₁.
 12. The method of claim 11, including providing a guide for directing the cutting of said at least one filler design element to said length L₃ depending on a measured width of said irregular gap.
 13. In a cast veneer wall panel system having a standard panel including a series of design elements, a method of enhancing aesthetics of a wall being constructed, comprising: measuring an irregular gap between a first end design element of a first series of design elements on a first standard panel and an end point; and filling said irregular gap with an insert panel including a filler design element having a custom length to fill said irregular gap.
 14. The method of claim 13 including cutting said insert panel in order to provide said filler design element of said custom length.
 15. The method of claim 13 including replacing said first end design element with said filler design element having a custom length to fill said irregular gap. 